Aerial bomb.



J. PIRUG.

AERIAL BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 191s.

1,293,542, Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 6.

JAN PIRG, 0F PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY.

AERIAL BOMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

Application filed May 3, 1918. Serial No. 232,323.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAN PIRG, a subject ofthe Emperor of Austria, having declared my intentions to become a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial Bombs, of which the following is a specification. t

The primary object of the invention 1s the provision of a bomb adapted to be dropped from an air craft for exploding when striking the earth but being comparatively safe against accidental explosion when being transported and handled prior to the launching operation. l

A further object of the invention is the provision of an explosive bomb having trigger-operated firing means adapted .for rendering the same safe against exploding until the device strikes an object during its downward flight when projected from an air craft, provision being made for maintaining the device in a straight line of travel.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a view of the device partly in elevation and partly in central longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the devicel showing a dierent side thereof from that illustrated in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken upon line Ill-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the double firing hammer detached;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the trigger latch employed therewith;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified form of the device illustrating the firing mechanism with the members shown in dotted lines in their firing arrangement; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views taken upon lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII respectively of Fig. 6.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the device consists of an explosive member or bomb proper 10 having Wings 11 at the end thereof adapted to be maintained uppermost during the downward iight of the device through the air while automatic exploding means 12 for the bombvare provided upon the lower end thereof.

The bomb 10 is in the form of a globular casing adapted to be filled with an explosive 13 through an opening therein normally closed by a screw plug 14 while seats 15 are positioned upon'the lower seat of the bomb having passages 16 therethrough communieating with the explosive 13, suitable caps 17 being positioned upon the seats 15 for igniting the explosive upon discharging the sald caps 17.

A cylindrical boss 18 centrally depends from the bottom of the bomb 10 provided with a mounting tube 19 threaded thereon. A U-shaped hammer 20 is slidably positioned within a longitudinal slot 21 of the tube 19 with its side members 22 having pointed free ends 23 serving as firing pins and having a i path of movement through the openings 16 of the seats 15 for exploding the caps 17 upon an upward movement of the hammer 20.

A spring 24 is connected between the cross 18 adapted for forcibly elevating the hammer and ring the bomb 10 when the hammer is released from the trigger latch 26 by means of a trigger bar 27. The latch 26 is of angular form having one arm 28 thereof pivoted as at 29 through a slot 30 in the tube 19 while the opposite end of the trigger is in the form of a linger 31 adapted for engaging a depending hook 32 of the hammer 20 for retaining the hammer depressed with portion 25 of the hammer 20 and the boss the spring 24 under tension when the ring l mechanism is set.

The trigger bar 27 is slidably arranged axially of the tube 19- having guide disks 33 upon the bar within the tube, the innermost disk 33 being adapted for engaging the trigger end 28 within the tube when the bar 27 is moved upwardly and inwardly when the head 34 at the outer free end of the bar 27 strikes an object during the travel of the device.

Guides 35 are carried by the cross piece 25 of the hammer 20 for slidably engaging the opposite sides of the tube 19 insuring accurate movement of the hammer 20 for engagin the firing ends 23 with thecaps 17 upon t e action of the spring 24.

The device maybe transported and carried in an aeroplane with safety either upon removing the' caps 17 and permitting the iring ends 23 to rest within the seat opening 1-6 or when the firin mechanism 12 is set as shown in Fig. 1 of t e drawin The device being dropped from an aerop ane, the

l ject, the bar 27 is inwardly projected for releasing the'trigger 26 from the hammer 20 and permitting the spring 24 to cause the hammer to explode the ignition caps 17.

This operation results in igniting the explosive 13 for firing the bomb 10.

In the modified form of the device illustrated' in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, the bomb 36 is provided with a seat 37 for holding an explosive cap 38 which upon being exploded res off the lbomb 36. A tube 39 depends from the bomb 36 and has a hammer 40 pivoted to a collar 41 carried thereby. An operating spring42I is provided for the hammer 40 whereby the firing pin 43 upon the hammer will engage andexplode the cap 38 when the hammer is released. A trigger 44 is pivoted to another A collar 45 from the tube 39 for engaging a lug 46 of the hammer 40 to maintain the device in its set arrangement. A bar 47 is lon-- gitudinally shiftably arranged within the tube 39 adapted to be moved inwardly in any desired manner when the device strikes an object during the downward flight thereof j through the air.

Upon the inward movement of the rod 47, the inner end thereof engages the foot 48 of the trigger 44 releasing the trigger from the. lug 46 and permitting the spring 42 to move the hammer 40 for contacting the firing pin 43 with the cap 38. Both forms of the device are simple in construction and easy to manufacture and provide a 'bomb which may be safely handled by aviators as well a-s transported in ,trucks but which is sure to explode when dropped upon an object or in a suitable position in the enemys territory.

What I claim as new 'isz- 1. In combin-ation, Van explosive bomb, guiding wings at one end thereof, a firing seat on the outside of the opposite end of the bomb adjacent one side thereof adapted for receiving an ignition cap, an external axially arranged tubular mounting member upon the end of the bomb adjacent said seat, a springpressed hammer shiftably carried by said mounting member adapted for engaging said seat when released, a trigger latch pivoted to said mounting member having a hook engaging said hammerl when the device is set, and a trigger bar slidable in the tubular mounting member adapted for releasably shifting said trigger upon the inward movement 4of the bar when the device strikes an object.

2. A device of the class described comprising an explosive bomb having an eX- ternal seat at one end provided with an opening therethrough, the `said seat being adapted for the reception of an explosive cap, an external tube centrally depending from the bomb, a spring-pressed hammer shiftably carried by the tube with a sharpened portion adapted for entering said seat during the ring operation, a trigger latch pivoted lt0 the tube adapted for engaging the hammer in its set position, and a trigger bar shift-ably positioned within the tube adapted for engaging said latch for disengaging the latch from the hammer when the device strikes an object.

3. In combination, an explosive bomb, steering .means at one end of the bomlb, external perforated firing seats at the opposite end thereof, ignition caps adapted to be carried by Said seats, a boss centrally positioned upon the end of the bomb between said seats, a tube ycarried by the said boss, a U-shaped hammer slidalbly mounted through the tube having pointed firing ends adapted forn.1en gag-ing the caps during the firing operation, guides carried lby the hammer slidably engaging the opposite 'sides of the tube,'an operating spring connected between said boss and hammer, an angular trigger 'pivoted to the tube having an end finger adapted for engaging the hammer for holding the hammer retracted when the device is set, a trigger bar slidalbly positioned within the tube adapted'for shifting the trigger upon an inward movement of the bar, and a head upon the lower projecting end of the bar adapted for striking an object.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

JAN PIRG. 

